Novak Djokovic admitted he was initially reluctant to watch the thrilling and now-iconic French Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, even though his wife and family wanted to see it.
Heading into the French Open, Djokovic aimed to capture his 25th Grand Slam trophy. Despite a strong run to the semifinals, he was defeated in straight sets by the World No. 1, who made his first Grand Slam final appearance outside of hardcourt tournaments.
Djokovic has been preparing for Wimbledon alongside two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and praised the young Spaniard as the clear favorite to win at the All England Club, where he admitted that he wasn鈥檛 particularly planning on watching the Roland Garros final.
How Djokovic ended up watching the Alcaraz-Sinner Roland-Garros final against his will ?
(via @Wimbledon) pic.twitter.com/nK2sKqyZHr
鈥 Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) June 27, 2025
鈥淭o be honest, I was at home. My wife wanted to watch the final, but I didn鈥檛 really want to,鈥 Djokovic said.
After stepping out for lunch during the early stages, he returned to watch the second half and was deeply impressed by the level of tennis on display.
鈥淲e went out for lunch during the first part, and then I came back and watched the rest. It was an incredible match鈥攈uge credit to both players. It鈥檚 definitely one of the most historic matches we have ever seen,鈥 Djokovic remarked.
Alcaraz clinched the title after an intense five-set battle lasting 5 hours and 29 minutes, overcoming Sinner with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(10-2). This victory not only secured the championship for Alcaraz but also signaled the rise of a promising generational rivalry in men鈥檚 tennis.
On the other hand, since his last Grand Slam triumph at the 2023 US Open, the aging legend Djokovic has had a mixed run.
He started the 2025 clay season with early exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid, but did manage to lift a trophy in Geneva just before Roland Garros.
Despite battling age and fitness concerns, the 38-year-old remains committed to chasing a historic 25th major title.